Community Note: Combat-system updates, more attacks, and other changes coming to Trainer Battles

Trainers,

In our previous Community Note, we outlined some changes that came to Pokémon GO that made Trainer Battles a more fun and competitive experience. In this update, we’re excited to announce more changes focusing on Trainer Battles!

Over the next couple of weeks, you’ll see some changes in Pokémon GO’s various combat systems.

Updates to the combat system

Our team has polished the existing system to make Trainer Battles and Team GO Rocket battles more intuitive and responsive in Pokémon GO version 0.157.0.

• The timing for damage dealt and energy charged has been improved.
  • We understand this issue provided a possible knowledge gap that players could learn to work around, giving them an edge in battle. We chose to adjust this since we think it was fundamentally unintuitive that damage and energy changes always ran one move late. Unlike with quickly switching before a predicted Charged Attack, we don’t think the particularities of our refresh rate make for interesting gameplay decisions.
• A Pokémon’s health bar will briefly pulse when it receives damage.

Exciting updates to existing attacks in Pokémon GO!

Along with updates to the combat system, there will also be some updates to select attacks.

• Bubble Beam - Bubble Beam will now have a reliable attack debuff, which decreases an opponent Pokémon’s attack stat by one stage. We’re excited to see what strategies this change kicks off.
• Power-Up Punch - Power-Up Punch’s primary purpose was intended to be rapidly boosting the attack of your Pokémon if your opponent doesn’t respond quickly. The damage for Power-Up Punch will be decreased in order to help Pokémon that can learn Power-Up Punch play differently from one another by using their other attacks for damage. This should also provide clearer counterplay—not blocking your opponent’s Power-Up Punches is now a more obviously right response!
• Psychic - Psychic will now deal more damage and be usable sooner in Gym, Raid, and Trainer Battles. This rework is intended to make Psychic a more viable Psychic-type attack in both raids and Trainer Battles. Trainers now also have the chance to decrease an opponent Pokémon’s defense stat whenever the move is used in Trainer Battles.
• Snarl - Snarl has been updated to have a clearer energy-generation role among Dark-type Fast Attacks. This should help the primarily offensive-leaning Pokémon with Snarl, like Arcanine and Luxio, use important Charged Attacks before fainting, as well as giving the more defensive Suicune and Umbreon more frequent access to their Charged Attacks.

More attacks will also be coming to Pokémon GO!

Certain Pokémon will soon be able to learn attacks that hadn’t yet been seen in Pokémon GO!

• Thunder Fang: An Electric-type Fast Attack - Arcanine, Steelix, Mightyena, Hippowdon
• Ice Fang: An Ice-type Fast Attack - Suicune, Mightyena, Mawile, Hippowdon, Drapion

Fire Fang damage has been increased to match the damage that Thunder Fang and Ice Fang deal.

Additional moveset updates

The following Pokémon will be able to learn attacks they couldn’t before:

• 026 Alolan Raichu: Thundershock - This Fast Attack will let Alolan Raichu surf its way to faster Charged Attacks to help make up for its light defenses.
• 028 Alolan Sandslash: Ice Punch - This Charged Attack lets Alolan Sandslash more reliably dish out fast and high-powered Ice-type damage in the Great and Ultra Leagues.
• 038 Alolan Ninetales: Charm - This addition allows Alolan Ninetales to have a powerful Fast Attack option as an alternative to its more Charged-Attack-focused Ice-type attack set in the Great and Ultra Leagues.
• 055 Golduck: Bubble Beam, Synchronoise, Cross Chop - With access to a few new tricks, Golduck has a new and unique pool of Charged Attacks that should help it stand out against the many other Water types in Ultra League.
• 105 Alolan Marowak: Fire Spin, Flame Wheel - Alolan Marowak’s original move pool made it hard to use any Fire-type attacks in practice. Adding Fire Spin and Flame Wheel should give this Pokémon options to reliably deal Fire-type damage.
• 226 Mantine: Bubble Beam - Giving Mantine the new and improved Bubble Beam gives it a more supportive role among Great League Water types.
• 303 Mawile: Fire Fang, Ice Fang, Power-Up Punch - Fire Fang or Ice Fang combined with Power-Up Punch allow Mawile to pose a real threat in Great League. Mawile’s weakness to Fire-type attacks keeps it a balanced competitor.
• 461 Weavile: Snarl - Snarl allows Weavile to hold its own as a fragile but powerful Dark-type attacker against Team GO Rocket, Raid Bosses, and Master League opponents.

We’re excited to see the teams you build with these changes, Trainers. Stay tuned, as we’ll be sharing more updates like these in the future. Good luck on the battlefield!

—The Pokémon GO team

Celebrate the spirit of travel during the first-ever World Tourism Day event!

Trainers,

Happy World Tourism Day! In partnership with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), we are celebrating the first-ever World Tourism Day event in Pokémon GO! For this upcoming week, we’ll be celebrating exploration with a special in-game event.

New features starting on September 26, 2019 at 1 p.m. PDT (GMT −7)

• New shirt! Check out a new United Nations World Tourism Organization T-shirt, available in the Style Shop!
• Region-limited Pokémon available in Eggs! The following Pokémon will be available in 5 km Eggs in their respective real-world regions: Farfetch’d, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Heracross, Corsola, Volbeat, Illumise, Torkoal, Zangoose, Seviper, Lunatone, Solrock, Tropius, Relicanth, Pachirisu, Mime Jr., Chatot, Pansage, Pansear, Panpour, Heatmor, and Durant.
• Shiny Pokémon rivals spotted! If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Zangoose or a Shiny Seviper in the wild in their respective real-world regions!
• Mime Jr., the Mime Pokémon, will be making its debut in Pokémon GO! It will be available in 5 km Eggs in Europe. If you’re lucky, you might hatch a Shiny Mime Jr.!

Features from Thursday, September 26, 2019, at 1 p.m. PDT (GMT −7) to Tuesday, October 1, 2019, at 1 p.m. PDT (GMT −7)

• Decreased Stardust costs for trading! Trading Pokémon will cost 1/4 less Stardust.
• Spin PokéStops for extra XP! Earn 2× XP when you spin the Photo Discs of PokéStops you haven’t visited before.
• Specially themed Field Research tasks will be available for a limited time during this event.

Augmented-reality technology is changing the way we travel and experience new places. At Pokémon GO Fest Chicago 2019, we had visitors from 68 countries and regions. At Pokémon GO Fest Dortmund 2019, half of all visitors were international and came from 90 different countries and regions. UNWTO’s mission is to promote and support responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism, and we’re so proud to be partnering with an organization who shares our values of exploration and adventure.

Keep these steps in mind when traveling to make your travels rewarding for you, the people you meet, and the places you visit—let’s GO!

—The Pokémon GO team

Mewtwo with Shadow Ball joins EX Raids!

Trainers,

The Genetic Pokémon, Mewtwo, will be returning to EX Raids!

Date + Time

• Starting on September 25, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. PDT—Trainers can receive EX Raid Passes to be invited to EX Raids featuring Mewtwo.

Features

• Challenge Mewtwo with the Shadow Ball attack exclusively in EX Raids!
• If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Mewtwo!

Are you new to EX Raids? You can become eligible to receive an EX Raid Pass when you win a Raid Battle at a qualifying Gym! To see whether a Gym can host EX Raids, take a look at the Gym’s details. If you triumph in a qualifying Raid Battle and receive an invitation to an EX Raid, you can check your EX Raid Pass for the date and time when you’ll be able to challenge Mewtwo.

Battling Mewtwo will be a difficult challenge that requires Trainers to take advantage of every opportunity—so don’t forget to invite a friend to go along with you! Invites can only be sent to an Ultra Friend or Best Friend, so don’t forget to battle with friends, send Gifts, and trade Pokémon to build up your Friendship level.

Do you have what it takes? Best of luck—Mewtwo won’t back down!

—The Pokémon GO team

Altered Forme Giratina—raids, Raid Hour, and Shiny release!

Trainers,

We are excited to announce that Giratina has reemerged from the Distortion World and returned to raids!

Date + Time

• From Monday, September 23, 2019, at 1 p.m. PDT (GMT −7) to Thursday, October 17, 2019, at 1 p.m. PDT (GMT −7): Giratina in its Altered Forme will be available in five-star raids.
• On September 25, 2019, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in your local time zone: There will be an increased number of five-star raids, featuring Altered Forme Giratina.

Features

• If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Altered Forme Giratina!

Start prepping your teams to take on this Ghost- and Dragon-type Legendary Pokémon. There are still many mysteries to be unraveled about the Renegade Pokémon! Stay safe, and happy raiding!

—The Pokémon GO team

The world of Pokémon GO expands with Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region!

Trainers,

Over three years ago, your Pokémon GO journey started with Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region, and you’ve gone on to encounter hundreds of Pokémon first encountered in the Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh regions as you’ve battled, raided, and completed research. It’s almost time to continue your journey and encounter Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region! Get ready to meet new friends and encounter Pokémon featured in Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version, appearing in Pokémon GO later today!

Features

• Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Patrat, Lillipup, Purrloin, Pidove, Blitzle, and more Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region will be appearing in the wild.
• Spark has been hard at work walking and incubating Eggs for his research and has found that the following Pokémon have started hatching from Eggs!
  • 2 km Eggs: Patrat, Lillipup, Purrloin, Pidove
  • 5 km Eggs: Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Blitzle, Drilbur, Foongus
  • 10 km Eggs: Ferroseed, Klink, Litwick, Golett, Deino
• After tackling dozens of raids head on, Candela has discovered that Lillipup, Patrat, and Klink will be available to challenge in raids! Please note, Trainers, that Klink hasn’t been reported appearing in the wild outside raids.
• Following some travel and meticulous research, Blanche reports that there are some Pokémon that only seem to be appearing in the wild in certain parts of the world! Join us in welcoming them!
  • Asia-Pacific: Pansage, the Grass Monkey Pokémon
  • Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India: Pansear, the High Temp Pokémon
  • The Americas and Greenland: Panpour, the Spray Pokémon
  • Western hemisphere: Heatmor, the Anteater Pokémon
  • Eastern hemisphere: Durant, the Iron Ant Pokémon
• If you’re lucky, you may encounter Shiny Patrat and Shiny Lillipup!
• Introducing the Unova Stone! This black-and-white Evolutionary item will allow certain Pokémon to evolve. Try using it on a Pokémon like Lampent, and see what happens! This item can be obtained from Research Breakthroughs.

More Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region will be making their way to Pokémon GO as Professor Willow shares more updates from his findings, so look forward to meeting them soon. C’mon, Trainer—let’s GO on this Unova voyage together!

—The Pokémon GO team

Get ready for Legendary Raid Hours in September!

Trainers,

We’re excited to announce that there will be more Legendary Raid Hours taking place in September! For one hour every Wednesday evening, Raid Battles with the currently featured Legendary Pokémon will happen more frequently.

Date + Time

From 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in your local time zone on the following dates:

• September 4, 2019: Raikou, Entei, and Suicune
• September 11, 2019: Deoxys
• September 18, 2019: Mewtwo
• September 25, 2019: To Be Announced

Features

• There will be an increased number of five-star raids during the event hour.

As always, Trainers, be mindful of your surroundings and of others around you while playing Pokémon GO. Stay tuned for more updates.

Happy raiding!

—The Pokémon GO team